Grand jury indicts nine

May 2, 2013

STEUBENVILLE - The Jefferson County grand jury on Wednesday returned nine indictments, including a city man charged with shooting at police officers.

Devon Jones-Hill, 18, of 1416 1/2 Maxwell Ave. was indicted on two counts of felonious assault on a police officer and one count of carrying a concealed weapon.

City Police reported two officers were called around 5:25 p.m. on April 20 about a robbery in the 1500 block of Maryland Avenue. The initial reports said the suspect had a gun during the robbery, police reported. When the two officers arrived they approached the suspect who fired his weapon at the officers, police reported. The two officers returned fire and the suspect took off running, police reported. The officers were able to apprehend Jones-Hill, police reported. Nobody was injured in the incident.

Gary A. Harmon, 43, of 973 township Road 195, Dillonvale, was indicted on two counts of felonious assault and one count of misdemeanor using a weapon while intoxicated.

Jefferson County Prosecutor Jane Hanlin said Harmon fired a gun at a friend from Harmon's house the night of March 23. The next day, Harmon pulled up behind the same man and began firing shots at the other man's pickup truck, causing more than a dozen holes in the truck, Hanlin said.

Lamont Whatley, 47, of 1533 Euclid Ave. was indicted on two counts of felonious assault in connection with Whatley allegedly attacking a woman with a hammer and knife on Feb. 25.

Police said the woman said she was assaulted around 8 p.m. on Feb. 25 at a home in the 1400 block of Maryland Avenue. Officers said the woman had a 2-inch claw hammer wound in her thigh area and a cut on her finger she said she received trying to avoid a knife. The woman also said she was kicked and punched in the head, police reported.

The victim was taken to Trinity Medical Center West for treatment of her injuries.

Whatley was arrested by police on March 21.

Iyrhonn L. Chester, 40, of 272 Christopher Ave. was indicted on one count of trafficking in cocaine. Hanlin said Chester approached undercover state liquor control agents in the area of Adams Street asking to sell drugs to the undercover agents on Feb. 22. When Chester came back to the undercover vehicle with cocaine, he was arrested, Hanlin said.

Richard J. Core, 60, of 260 Rhodes St., Dillonvale, was indicted on 13 counts of sexual battery involving a 17-year-old girl. The incidents happened from Sept. 5 through Feb. 12, according to the indictment.

The grand jury also returned the following indictments:

Timotheus M. Fuller, 32, of 559 Linden Ave., two counts of trafficking in cocaine and one count of possession of cocaine. Hanlin said the county drug task force made two buys of cocaine from Fuller. A search warrant was served at his house and more than 27 grams of cocaine were found in March. The indictment also asks for a forfeiture of cash confiscated.

Sidney D. Watson, 27, of Apartment H, 805 Market Square, single counts of carrying a concealed weapon, having a weapon while under disability and tampering with evidence.

Police said they were investigating reports of alleged illegal activity in an alley between Maryland and Pennsylvania Avenue on March 11 when they spotted a pickup truck missing a taillight. When they pulled the vehicle over, Watson allegedly fled the scene on foot. A 9 mm handgun was found under a bush, police said.

Robert L. Phillipson, 23, of 101 Johnson Lane, Toronto, and Brittany M. Billham, 22, of Apartment D, 2516 Crabbe Blvd., each were indicted on single counts of trafficking in marijuana, possession of marijuana, complicity to trafficking in marijuana, complicity to possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and complicity to possession of drug paraphernalia. Billham also was charged with permitting drug abuse. Hanlin said the pair were arrested following an investigation by Toronto Police and the county drug task force in January.